Palestinian baby burned to death in settler attack

Two homes set ablaze in Duma village in occupied West Bank, with graffiti left on the walls reading "revenge" in Hebrew.

31 Jul 2015 11:09 GMT

An 18-month-old Palestinian boy has burned to death after settlers set fire to his family house in Duma village, south of Nablus city, in the occupied West Bank.

The parents of Ali Saad Dawabsheh and his four-year-old brother were also injured in the attack, sources told Al Jazeera on Friday morning.

Up to 75 percent of their bodies suffered burns, according to medics in Nablus' Rafidia hospital.

The Israel army issued a statement saying that they were trying to locate the suspects in the attack.

"This attack against civilians is nothing short of a barbaric act of terrorism. A comprehensive investigation is under way in order to find the terrorists and bring them to justice," Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said in the statement.

"The [Israeli army] strongly condemns this deplorable attack and has heightened its efforts in the field to locate those responsible."

The army told Al Jazeera that additional forces were deployed to West Bank, refusing to specify the number of soldiers.

PM Netanyahu issued the following statement in wake of the murder of Ali Dawabshe: "I am shocked over this reprehensible and horrific act."

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, said on Friday that he wants the International Criminal Court to probe the attack as one of the first Israeli war crimes against Palestinians.

"Every day we wake up to a similar crime. This is a war crime and a tragedy at the same time. Therefore we will not stay still. Absolutely not. As long as the settlement and the occupation are there," Abbas said.

Nabil Abu Rdeineh, a spokesman for Abbas, said earlier on Friday that the Israeli government was fully responsible for the crime as it continued to support illegal Israeli settlement activities and the protection of settlers.

He also blamed the international community for silence over crimes against Palestinians.

Abu Rdeineh said that verbal condemnation of the crimes was no longer acceptable and that taking practical steps to hold Israeli attackers accountable, as well as the end to the occupation, was needed.

The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) that is led by Abbas reacted to the attack on Twitter.